In the universal Church calendar, the Sunday of the Word of God is celebrated on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, usually in January. In Brazil, however, the bishops' conference keeps a special emphasis on the last Sunday of September. This does not mean that Brazil simply ignored the universal date or created a parallel observance without authorization. The CNBB itself explains that the Holy See authorized the preservation of the Brazilian tradition connected with Bible Month.
The short answer: January still matters, but September carries Brazil's main emphasis
Pope Francis instituted the Sunday of the Word of God through the apostolic letter Aperuit illis, published on September 30, 2019. The text establishes that the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time should be devoted to the celebration, reflection and dissemination of the Word of God. That is the reference used by the universal Church.
In Brazil, the pastoral setting was already different before 2019. September had been dedicated to the Bible for decades, with special proximity to the memorial of Saint Jerome on September 30. According to the CNBB, after a formal consultation by the Brazilian bishops, the Holy See authorized the country to preserve its tradition of celebrating Bible Day on the last Sunday of September and to concentrate its main pastoral mobilization around the Word of God there.
What Aperuit illis established for the universal Church
In Aperuit illis, Francis established that the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time should be dedicated to the Word of God. The goal is not merely to add a symbolic date to the calendar. The document calls communities to highlight the proclamation of Scripture, reflection on it and its dissemination, strengthening the place of the Bible in the liturgy and in Christian life.
Because it falls near the beginning of Ordinary Time, the observance is also placed in a period when the Church recalls Christian unity and its bonds with the Jewish people. That context is part of the universal logic of the January date.
Why Brazil asked to keep September
When the universal observance was created, the Church in Brazil already had a well established practice: Bible Month in September. The CNBB explains that the month has traditionally been used for study, prayer, formation and community initiatives centered on Scripture, with the last Sunday serving as a high point of that mobilization.
For that reason, at the CNBB's 58th General Assembly, the bishops approved a request to the Holy See to preserve the Brazilian arrangement. The authorization allowed the country to keep the September tradition without breaking communion with the universal January observance.
In practice, the CNBB describes a twofold approach: in January, Brazilian communities can recall the Sunday of the Word of God in communion with the Church worldwide; in September, the main pastoral emphasis, resources and national mobilization remain linked to Bible Month.
Timeline: how January and September came to coexist
- Before 2019: Brazil already had a decades old tradition of dedicating September to the Bible, with the last Sunday associated with Bible Day and closely connected with the memorial of Saint Jerome on September 30.
- September 30, 2019: Pope Francis publishes Aperuit illis and institutes the Sunday of the Word of God for the whole Church on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.
- 58th General Assembly of the CNBB: the Brazilian bishops approve a request to the Holy See to preserve the national September practice.
- January 2022: the CNBB publicly explains the authorization, noting that January is still remembered in communion with the universal Church while Brazil's main emphasis remains in September.
- 2026: the last Sunday of September falls on September 27. This year, the CNBB proposes the Book of Daniel for study during Bible Month.
Universal Church x Brazil
| Point | Universal Church | Brazil |
|---|---|---|
| Reference date | Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, usually in January | Last Sunday of September as the main national emphasis |
| Basis | Aperuit illis, from 2019 | Bible Month tradition and Holy See authorization after a CNBB request |
| Purpose | Celebrate, reflect on and disseminate the Word of God | The same purpose, integrated into a full month of study, prayer and biblical formation |
| What happens in Brazil in January | Brazil remains in communion with the universal observance | The CNBB encourages remembrance of the Word of God while concentrating the main pastoral mobilization in September |
What this means for people attending celebrations in Brazil
For Catholics in Brazil, the key point is not to treat January and September as if one cancelled the other. The universal date explains why the Sunday of the Word of God exists in the Church calendar. The Brazilian tradition explains why many dioceses, parishes, communities and pastoral resources give the subject much greater visibility in September.
This is also why someone may see references to the Sunday of the Word of God in January and then, months later, encounter new celebrations, meetings, Bible studies and resources at the end of September. The two references play complementary roles within Brazilian practice.
In 2026, what is the date in Brazil?
In 2026, the last Sunday of September is September 27. This year's Bible Month proposes the Book of Daniel for study, according to materials and programming published by the CNBB. The selected biblical book does not change the date rule, but it guides the month's formation and pastoral content.
Anyone planning a local celebration or activity should also check the calendar and resources of their own diocese or parish, because the concrete way the observance is marked can vary from one community to another.
